[Photodynamic therapy in age-related macular degeneration: one-year results].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization(CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration(AMD) one year after PDT.


METHODS
106 eyes of 106 AMD patients with subfoveal CNV detected by fluorescein angiography (FA). Best-corrected visual acuity, color fundus photography, FA and indocyanine green angiography were performed before and 1 year after treatment. Visual acuity and CNV size before PDT were compared with those 1 year after treatment. Pre-PDT factors predicting a visual acuity of 0.4 or more 1 year after this treatment were evaluated.


RESULTS
Visual acuity improved or was maintained in 84 of the 106 eyes. The size of CNV decreased significantly (p < 0.001). A visual acuity of 0.4 or more 1 year after PDT was predicted by an acuity of 0.4 or more (p = 0.01) and occult with no classic CNV (p = 0.04) prior to PDT.


CONCLUSIONS
PDT is effective for maintaining or improving visual acuity and obliteration of CNV for 1 year or longer. Factors predicting a visual acuity of 0.4 or more 1 year after PDT were an acuity of 0.4 or more and occult with no classic CNV prior to PDT.
Ohira-Tochigi
Kasumi
K
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Visual Science, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan. tkasuminn@yahoo.co.jp
Yokoyama
Eisei
E
Matsumoto
Yoko
Y
Kyo
Tetsuhiro
T
Yuzawa
Mitsuko
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity